Chapter 1: The Lone Eagle Hatches

Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born February 4, 1902 in Detroit, Michigan, just one year before the Wright Brothers made their now-famous flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  He was born in Detroit at his mother Evangeline’s request of having her great uncle Edwin, one of three doctors in her family, to assist in his birth.  Charles’ father, C.A. Lindbergh, a lawyer, was not present for his birth (typical for the period).

            Lindbergh was raised on the family farm in Little Falls, Minnesota, the county seat of Morrison County.  The 1910 Census reported the population of Little Falls at 6,078.  Charles enjoyed spending time outdoors, and preferred being alone having imaginary adventures; this time outdoors likely helped build the strength and endurance that made it possible for him to make history almost two decades later.  In 1907, Charles’ father was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota’s 6th district; Charles was uprooted to Washington, D.C., a place he struggled acclimating to, even though he became acquainted with Quentin and Kermit Roosevelt (sons of Teddy) at Sidwell Francis School.  From a young age, Charles was described as being “painfully shy”; while many children tend to be shy when starting school due to not having significant interactions with peers their age, it will be interesting to see if this struggle continues into adulthood.  Charles constantly yearned to return to Little Falls, and always looked forward to his visits, stating in his memoir Autobiography of Values “I felt the restrictions of city life.  I could not go hunting with a gun.” (p. 53)

            While Lindbergh had a close relationship with his mother, his relationship with his father was, at minimum, strained.  C.A. was seventeen years older than Evangeline, likely leading to variation in parenting, as well as gender conformity of parenting.  In addition, C.A. has been accused of being emotionally abusive, specifically towards Charles by teasing him until he cried, as well as Evangeline, with various reports of him called her a “bloodsucker” to her face and questioning her mental health.  Even if Charles himself was not conscious of his father’s harmful actions in the moment, the subconscious exposure to the abuse will likely have a lifelong impact on the way he views how others are/should be treated; this could also result in the development of trust issues if his instinct tells him that the maltreatment he is witnessing is inherently wrong.  Charles’ parents would separate around 1909 (there are differing reports on the separation, however it is commonly believed that the split was amicable, and both would co-parent well); separation/divorce is always difficult on children, as children have a tendency to self-blame since they would not be able to understand the delicacies of the situation since the frontal cortexes of their brains are not yet fully developed.

            School never seemed to be much interest for Charles, however his love for aviation would percolate after he attended his first air show with his mother while living in Washington D.C.; during his high school years he continued to foster his learning about planes, specifically researching aerial combats in Europe to following the exploits of a fictional pilot. (Lindbergh, 63) The seed had been planted, and Lindbergh’s desire was clear: he wanted to fly the skies.  As he states in his memoir “The life of an aviator seemed to me ideal… It commanded adventure.” (Lindbergh, 63)